This Guinness™ cake is the cake for lovers of a fudgy, moist, and dense chocolate cake. It comes together quickly thanks to Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Cake Mix and requires zero layering or fussy frosting techniques. Guinness stout takes the place of the liquid in this recipe and lends a complementary depth to the chocolate cake. This single-layer cake is finished off with a thick, billowy crown of smooth cream cheese frosting.
Here’s a look at the ingredients you’ll need for this Easy Chocolate Guinness™ Cake.
Cake Mix: We use Betty’s Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix, but you can use Dark Chocolate or Devil’s Food as well!
Guinness Stout: This dark Irish beer complements the chocolate in this cake and gives it a deeper fudgy flavor.
Egg Yolks: Additional egg yolks give this cake an extra-rich and moist texture.
Melted Butter: Swapping out the oil for butter and bumping up the amount lends extra flavor and adds further richness to this cake.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and kosher salt.
Here are our favorite tips for making the easiest Chocolate Guinness Cake. Follow the recipe for full details.
Starting with Betty’s Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake makes this recipe easy. We’ve altered the box recipe to make a rich and fudgy single-layer cake by swapping in Guinness stout, butter, and egg yolks for the water, oil, and eggs called for on the box. No fancy technique needed, simply mix everything together in a bowl until well combined.
Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake may rise in the center but fall a bit as it cools. This is okay, it will add to the dense, fudgy texture of the finished cake.
While the cake bakes and cools, make the fluffy cream cheese frosting. Feel free to swap out the vanilla with Irish cream liqueur—just a tablespoon will add a unique and complementary flavor to the frosting. Spread the frosting generously over the top of the cake in a thick layer.
Follow these tips for storing this fudgy chocolate cake.
Since this cake has cream cheese in the frosting, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Store the leftover cake loosely covered in plastic wrap or in a cake storage container for up to 3 days.
Freeze the leftover cake, whether whole or in slices, until the frosting is firm. Then wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
Thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight. Do not microwave as the frosting will melt and possibly burn.
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with shortening or cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the Cake ingredients together until smooth. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched in the center. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Gradually beat in the cream until blended. Continue beating until medium peaks form.
Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake.
Cut into slices and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Replace the 2 teaspoons of vanilla in the frosting with 1 tablespoon Irish cream liqueur for a hint of extra flavor.
Looking for an alcohol-free option? You can swap in the non-alcoholic version of the stout or use coffee instead.
